In Geopolitics Today: Thursday, December 8th
European Council Approves the Admission of Croatia to Schengen Area, China and Saudi Arabia Agree on Deepening Strategic Partnership, and other stories.
European Council Approves the Admission of Croatia to Schengen Area
The European Union has confirmed the admission of Croatia to the bloc’s passport-free Schengen area. The decision came during a meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels in which the bloc also rejected the candidacies of Bulgaria and Romania to the same status.
The decision will align with Croatia joining the EU’s monetary union. From next year, Croatia will begin using the euro and become a part of the Schengen area. At the same time, EU commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said that Romania and Bulgaria have been denied access to the area. Austria blocked both Romania’s and Bulgaria’s bid to join the Schengen area, citing a lack of preparedness, while the Netherlands supported Romania’s bid but opposed Bulgaria’s.
Read more about this story here.
China and Saudi Arabia Agree on Deepening Strategic Partnership
Chinese President Xi Jinping has heralded a “new era” of relations between China and the Arab world as China and Saudi Arabia signed a series of agreements reportedly worth around $30bn.
The announcement of a comprehensive strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and China followed the signing of a number of agreements between the two. The 34 or so deals said to be struck between Chinese and Saudi firms are in green energy, information technology, cloud services, transport, construction and other sectors. Saudi Arabia's industrial diversification endeavours align with China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Read more about this story here.
The United States to Send Troops to Australia and Invite Japan to Drills
The United States and Australia have agreed to deepen their defence ties, including by increasing the rotational presence of US air, land and sea forces within Australia. The move comes a part of Washington’s long-term aim to constrain China’s freedom of manoeuvre around Taiwan and in the East and South China Seas.
Washington sees Canberra as a vital partner in reaching these goals. Australia’s defence and foreign ministers said they have agreed to step up military interactions with the US, while also expressing a need to involve Japan in future military drills aimed at deterring China. Australia is likely to provide major bases of operations for the United States, Australia and other regional allies. This would allow the US and its allies to more effectively defend Taiwan against any move by Beijing to reclaim the island.
Read more about this story here.
Sweden, Denmark Refuse to Include Russia in Nord Stream Investigation
Russia's Foreign Ministry has complained that Sweden and Denmark are refusing to include Russian authorities in their investigation of the ruptures found in two Nord Stream gas pipelines.
Swedish and Danish authorities are investigating four holes in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines linking Russia and Germany. Denmark has said that a preliminary investigation had shown the leaks were caused by powerful explosions. Moscow says it has not been able to assess the ruptures and has been excluded from investigations conducted by Denmark, Germany and Sweden.
Read more about this story here.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia Facilitate US-Russia Prisoner Exchange
The US and Russia finalized a prisoner swap in a deal that saw US basketball player Brittney Griner exchanged for Victor Bout, a Russian arms dealer. The exchange occurred in Abu Dhabi in the presence of “specialists” from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE thanked the governments of the US and Russia for their cooperation and response to the mediation efforts by the leadership of the two countries. The mediation is a small diplomatic win for the two Gulf countries as US President Joseph Biden thanked both members of his administration and the nations that mediated the exchange.